


Into the Mystery Dungeon.

by Eighth_Notes



Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types, Pokemon Mystery Dungeon
Genre: Canon-Typical Violence, Choose Your Own Adventure, Choose Your Own Character, Original Character(s), Unconventional Format, like one mention of blood, mild language but not a lot, one POV Character Death bc that's bascally a CYOA story requirement
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-09
Updated: 2020-05-17
Packaged: 2021-02-27 14:15:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 30
Words: 10,451
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22178413
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Eighth_Notes/pseuds/Eighth_Notes
Summary: A Choose Your Own Adventure story set in the world of the Pokemon Mystery Dungeon series.You can choose to be either a Delcatty or Rhydon, and you go with your team on a mission, making choices along the way.This isn't tied to any one particular game, but mainstays and mechanics of the series are still there.
Kudos: 8





	1. The Beginning.

**Author's Note:**

> There are suggested songs listed every so often, but they're not required listening. I've tried to find extended versions where I can, but that's not always possible. If you're on desktop, you can right-click on YouTube videos to set them to loop.  
> This does use a workskin, so make you're set to show creator's style, otherwise the text boxes won't work. You'll know that the style is on when there's a blue-ish textbox below here.  
> The choices use embedded links, so if the formatting of the boxes if wonky, you can just turn off creator's style and it should work. Please let me know if any of the links are broken or otherwise don't work.  
> Only the first chapter of the fic is formatted entirely within the textbox. Subsequent chapters will keep it to just the choices.  
> Story proofread by SilverStorm0.

[**[Personality Test]** ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fMeoKxZq1js)

**So, you’re here.**

**That’s good. I wasn’t sure if you’d come.**

**You’re probably wondering where “Here” is, exactly.**

**But that isn’t important.**

**Today, we’re going to be testing a few things.**

**And by testing, I mean seeing what choices you make.**

**I’d like it if you’d tell me, after this is said and done, about the path you chose.**

**You don’t have to, of course. That part is optional. But it’d be nice.**

**Anyway.**

**Will you be Rhydon, the sturdy yet forgetful Drill Pokemon?**

**Or will you be Delcatty, the unfettered Prim Pokemon?**

**Tap or click on one of the choices below:**

**[>I’ll be Rhydon.](https://archiveofourown.org/works/22178413/chapters/52956691)**

**[>I’ll be Delcatty.](https://archiveofourown.org/works/22178413/chapters/52956829)**


	2. Rhydon.

You wake up to the sound of somebody breaking down your door and bursting into your one-room house.

You open your eyes and look up.

It’s a Linoone, one with black stripes and stars around the eyes.

He’s standing up on his back legs, holding an apple.

He chucks the apple at you, and it hits you squarely on the forehead. It falls to the ground with a pitiful thump.

“Ow,” you say, reflexively. Even though it didn’t hurt.

You stand up, pick up the apple, and dust it off.

Then you bite into the apple.

This is normal.

[ [Do Your Best, As Always!] ](https://youtu.be/wmq0niHlk9k)

“Mornin’, mate,” the Linoone says, as he gets down on all fours and strolls into your home. He’s followed by a Boldore, who’s carrying a pair of bags on her back.

“Guf mrfninf,” you try to say through a mouthful of apple, before deciding to finish eating first. “Good morning, Rider. Morning, Chry.”

“Yes, good morning,” the Boldore, Chrysoprase (or just Chry for short), woofs. She walks over to you.

“Hey ‘donny,” Rider says, as he sits down on a spare pile of blankets, “didja hear the storm last night? It was wicked wild.”

“There was a storm last night?” you ask, blankly.

“Yeah! I swear I heard a tree come down or something. It was like... ccCRSHCKRSHKRSKC,” he says, flailing his paws around in a poor attempt to quantify the sound he’d heard.  
“I can’t say that I heard it either,” Chry added.

_“Seriously?_ You guys must sleep like _boulders,”_ Rider says.

Then the realization of what he just said hits him and he gets a dumb smile on his face.

“You guys must sleep like _Boldor--”_

_“Anyway,”_ Chry says, attempting to redirect the conversation before the Linoone can finish his sentence. ”Ariados finally fixed your bag, so I picked it up for you on the way here.” She holds out your bag.

Rider hisses in the background, mourning his lost punchline.

You take it and look inside, pulling out a couple of berries. _Ariados must have put them there as an apology for the wait,_ you think. As you do so, Chry walks over to Rider and gives him the other bag, though it’s less that she gives it to him and more that she roughly sets it on his back, which earns her a wall of complaints as he properly puts it on.

“So I’m guessing we’re going on a mission now that my bag’s fixed?” you half-ask, half-state, with the feeling that you already know the answer.

“You bet! I’ve been itching to get back into the swing of things,” Rider enthuses, interrupting his own complaining in the process. “We can go on up to the guildhouse whenever you’re ready.”

“Actually,” Chry says, “we should probably go through town first to pick up some supplies. I know that Rider and I still have our stuff, but yours got kind of… burnt up.”

“Nah, they can just grab whatever’s here. We’ll take an easy mission. It’ll be fine,” Rider protests.

“That kind of attitude is what got us into trouble in the _first place.”_

_...exploring the Lava Path without recruiting a water-type first_ was _a pretty horrible idea,_ you internally admit. Just about the only thing you had on you that didn’t get scorched was your armband and explorer badge.

You can...

**[>Agree with Rider. You have enough supplies to just grab what you have and go.](https://archiveofourown.org/works/22178413/chapters/58367920)**

**[>Chry is right. Stocking up on things is a good idea.](https://archiveofourown.org/works/22178413/chapters/58408063)**


	3. Agree with Rider.

"I'd rather get going right away," you say, looking at Chry. "I have enough supplies to go on a basic mission, and it is faster to take the bridge..."

“hELL YEAH!” Rider vibrates excitedly in the background.

Chry gives you a dirty look, but she knows that this friendship is a democracy, and that she’s just been outnumbered 2-1.

“Alright, _fine,”_ she grumbles. “But if we end up failing the mission because we’re out of supplies, I’m blaming you.”

You tell her that you can accept that.

Rider launches himself through the still-open door, apparently unwilling to wait on the conversation any longer.

“Impatience personified,” Chry huffs, and the two of you follow your friend out the door.

[ [Heartwarming] ](https://youtu.be/XBdSn4KwVmI)

The three of you make your way through the forest, Rider impatiently walking back and forth a little bit ahead in an odd zig-zagging pattern that would better fit his pre-evolution.

“You guys are so _sloooow,”_ he whines.

“...dude, you knew what you were signing up for when you agreed to be on an exploration team with us,” you reply.

“Okay, maybe, but that doesn’t mean I can’t still complain,” he says.

You’re about to point out the faulty logic in that argument when Chry interrupts to point out something far more relevant.

“What’s going on up ahead?” she asks.

You look down the pathway and just barely see a few Pokémon standing around the side of the river.

As always, Rider bolts on ahead.

\---

When you finally get to the river’s edge, you see the upturned base of a large tree resting on the bank, the trunk running down into the river, where the bridge across it used to be.

"So much for going the fast way," Chry says, as Rider sulks up to the two of you, thoroughly dejected.

But you also saw Floatzel standing near the broken bridge, scratching her chin. If anybody knows more about what’s going on here, it'd be her.

“Hey, Floatzel,” you say, walking up to her. “What’s up?”

She turns around at your voice, and her expression goes from concentrated to smiling. 

“Why, if it isn’t Team Rumble! You’re a good set a’ faces to see right now,” she says, then looks over at the river. “As ya can see, the storm last night took out a tree. One a’ the ones Bayleaf and Roserade thought was at low risk of that happen’ to, so there wasn't much of a chance to get prepared for it.”

“How are you planning on fixing it?” Chry asks.

Now that you think about it, you don’t remember the bridge ever being totally unusable before.

“First thing’s first is to get the tree outta the water,” Floatzel explains. “I sent Pidgey to go round up some extra hands from town a while ago. They should be gettin’ here pretty soon, hopefully.”

“So now we have to go _around,”_ Rider said.

“Well,” Floatzel grins graciously, “if the three of you'd be willin' to help, it'd be much appreciated."

“Either way it’ll still take time,” Rider grumbles.

“We could go through town and go shopping, since we’re going to be held up no matter what,” Chry says, “but I’d feel kind of bad just walking away.”

“I understand it if you’ve got places to get to, so don’t worry about it if you can’t stick around,” Floatzel says. “We’ll get this sorted out, either way.”

For some reason, you can’t help but feel like you’re the one who typically ends up stuck deciding things like this.

You can…

**[>Help move the tree. The faster the bridge gets fixed, the better for everyone.](https://archiveofourown.org/works/22178413/chapters/58408477)**

**[>Go the long way. If you’re going to be held up anyway, you might as well go shopping.](https://archiveofourown.org/works/22178413/chapters/58407835)**


	4. Help move the tree.

[ [Shaymin Village] ](https://youtu.be/g2AT6wtI-Nk)

“Let’s help get this tree out of the river,” you say. 

"Wonderful!" Floatzel beams. "Between us here and whoever's able to help, we should get this done real quick."

"Yeah, when they actually show up," Rider complains.

"You can be patient," Chry says.

"No I can't."

\---

True to what Floatzel had said, it didn't take long for help to arrive. Pidgey finally returned, followed shortly by Team Quake, a senior rescue team with the members Tropius, Mudsdale, and Seismitoad.

Kirlia is there too, but like Floatzel, she isn't formally a member of the exploration guild.

You're genuinely impressed by the fact that Rider manages to not have an episode and ask for Team Quake's autographs then and there. But maybe he’s just too busy sulking to fanboy.

Chry looks excited, though. As excited as a Pokémon made of rocks can look.

Floatzel takes Team Quake over to the edge of the river as they discuss exactly how to go about pulling up the tree.

Pidgey lands on Kirlia's head, and you decide to make small talk during the wait.

"So why are you here, Kirlia?" you ask. Normally she wouldn't be caught dead doing things like manual labor.

"I figured that Pokémon who are passing through would need a way to cross the river, and since I can teleport, I can help," she says. "That, and Pidgey's shouting was nearly impossible to ignore."

"I'm not _that_ loud," Pidgey says, his feathers ruffling.

“No, I think you must’ve been a whismur in a past life,” Kirlia retorts. “Or a chatot, or something.”

Pidgey squawks indignantly, but before he can prove the point he was just arguing against, Floatzel’s voice cuts in and she waves at you.

“Alright, kids! It’s time to get this over with! Here’s what we’re plannin’...”

\---

After Floatzel’s explanation is done, both she and Seismitoad jump into the water and move to the opposite side of the tree, being careful to avoid the broken pieces of the bridge.

Mudsdale moves to the base of the tree, getting around to the other side as best she can, and prepares to hold it steady so that the tree won’t fall completely into the river.

Tropius extends his vines and wraps them around the tree’s trunk, and you, Rider, and Chry grab onto them to help him pull.

“Everybody ready?” Mudsdale shouts, and after receiving confirmation, begins to count down.

“Three! Two! One! _HEAVE!”_

And the tree moves slightly.

And it is slow going, even when Kirlia steps in to try and help lift the tree out of the water with her psychic power.

Eventually, though, the power of teamwork reigns supreme, and the tree is successfully lifted out of the water. Partially through sheer determination, and partially through Floatzel and Seismitoad doing a few clever things with Ice Beam and Rock Slide.

The two water types climb back up to dry land, and the group collectively takes a breather.

“aaaAAAAAAAA,” Rider says from his place on the ground, vocalizing the way that everybody feels after such an effort.

“Thank ya for helpin’, everybody,” Floatzel says, still winded. “I’ll be sure to be puttin’ in a good word for ya with the guildmaster an’ all.”

“It’s not a problem,” Mudsdale says, sounding significantly less exhausted than everybody else, though that should be expected.

\---

After you, Rider, and Chry catch your breath, you walk over to Kirlia, who teleports you across the river, as promised. You say your goodbyes to her before continuing up the path.

**[>Let’s go to the guildhouse.](https://archiveofourown.org/works/22178413/chapters/58408885)**


	5. Go the long way.

“Let’s just go through town,” you say. Might as well make the trip worthwhile, after all.

Rider sighs. _“Fiiiiine.”_

“Yeah. We’re going to be going on a rescue mission, so we should get going,” Chry explains.

“Understandable,” Floatzel says and nods, and she waves at your team as you walk away towards town.

**[>Shopping time.](https://archiveofourown.org/works/22178413/chapters/58408189)**


	6. Chry is right.

"I think Chry is right," you say, looking at Rider, who visibly deflates at your words. "I'd rather be sure we're prepared."

Rider loudly groans in complaint and rolls onto his side, sticking a front paw into the air.

“But shopping is _boring,”_ he proclaims to the heavens.

You have a theory that Rider thinks that every mundane task without some element of danger is boring.

“Boring, but necessary,” Chry replies.

“We’ll have to go the _long way_ to get to the guild,” he says as he stands up. “That’s _effort.”_

“I don’t think I’ve ever met a Pokemon both as fast and as lazy as you are, Rider,” Chry says.

He responds with a glare, because he knows that she’s right and doesn’t have a better response.

“Let’s get going now,” you say. “The longer we wait, the longer it’ll take to get there.” 

Both you and Chry head towards the door, and Rider sulkily follows. It’s a little sad, but this isn’t the first time he’s moped about not getting his way, and it won’t be the last.

**[>Shopping time.](https://archiveofourown.org/works/22178413/chapters/58408189)**


	7. Shopping Time.

[ [Pokemon Square] ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=riRNidWJhsA)

When you finally get into town, you can see that the marketplace is active as always, with various Pokémon running around and mulling about, doing whatever daily shopping they need to do. That, or just socializing. It’s nice.

Chry directs your team towards the Kecleon brothers’ shop. That’s the place to go to stock up on supplies, after all.

In all honesty, you and Rider are perfectly fine leaving the financial decisions to her. She usually has a pretty good idea of what to buy and what supplies to bring into a mission.

“Good morning, friends!” the green Kecleon says as you walk up to the stall. “How can I help you today?”

“There’s actually something of a list,” Chry says, and starts rattling off the items she needs, which Kecleon dutifully takes down after pulling out a notepad.

\---

A seemingly endless amount of time later, and Chry finally finishes buying and sorting out supplies between the three of you, so you start properly heading towards the guild. Luckily, there’s a natural break in the river near town where the water goes underground for a little while, so the walk is easy.

**[>Onto the guildhouse.](https://archiveofourown.org/works/22178413/chapters/58409008)**


	8. Get to the guildhouse - 1

The three of you finally get to the guildhouse after an uphill climb that wouldn't have been _nearly_ as bad as it was if you hadn't just helped heft an entire tree out of a body of water. At least you got here faster than you would have otherwise.

But you still find it in you, like always, to take a moment to take in the guildhouse.

[ [Great Canyon] ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6VxZ2O2pVME)

Deep in the forest, massive trees reach up to the sky, and in a particularly dense collection of them is a multi-story treehouse that begins on the ground and only grows taller.

All of the basic necessities for the guild exist on the ground floor for ease-of-access, of course, but a system of clever pulleys and platforms allows all but the heaviest or largest Pokémon access to the upper levels. 

And at the top of it all is a wood-carving statue of the guild leader, Unphezant, made by the guild’s second-in-command, Bibarel.

You don’t think you’ll ever get tired of coming here.

“Well?” Chry asks, snapping you out of your thoughts. “Are we going to go in or not?”

“Oh, yeah,” you say, and the three of you walk up to the guildhouse.

“HALT!” a small voice says from a booth to the side of the entrance.

“WHO GOES THERE???” it shouts.

You look over and see Yamper sitting on a stool inside the booth, with Growlithe on the ground, jumping up and down, trying to get a good look at you.

Growlithe is the one shouting, of course.

“They’re Team Rumble!” Yamper yips, wagging her tail.

“Well-yEAH! I _KNOW_ that!” Growlithe shouts, his words punctuated by his hopping. “But I gotta CHECK! That they ARE!”

Growlithe finally gets a purchase on the windowsill table of the booth and pulls himself up onto it.

“GREETINGS, TEAM RUMBLE!” Growlithe shouts.

“Where’s your pops at?” Rider asks.

“Dad and Yamper’s dad had to leave for an emergency so they left US in charge of sentry duty!” Growlithe says, puffing out his chest proudly.

“Only ‘till they get back,” Yamper adds. “And we’re s’posed to go get Aegislash if anything actually bad happens.”

“So are you going to let us through?” you ask.

“I just gotta make sure that you’re all you!” Growlithe insists.

He pauses.

Then he stares hard at you for a few long seconds.

“Yep! I guess you are you! Go on in!”

At that, Yamper stands up on her hind legs and pulls down a lever next to the stool, opening the guildhouse entrance.

\---

As you, Chry, and Rider walk into the guild, you’re greeted by Indeedee from his place behind his desk.

“Good morning,” he says in a slightly monotone voice. Dry as always, but not impolite. “You look tired. Did something happen?”

“Yeah, actually,” you say, and explain what had happened.

“I see. Moving a tree like that does sound taxing. Allow me to help you, even if it’s only a bit.”

Indeedee closes his eyes and waves a hand through the air. The room fills with a soothing scent, helping you and your friends relax, even if it’s only a bit.

“Thank you, Indeedee,” Chry says, and you and Rider echo her.

“It isn’t a problem.”

**[>Choosing a mission.](https://archiveofourown.org/works/22178413/chapters/58409071#workskin)**


	9. Get the the guildhouse - 2

[ [Great Canyon] ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6VxZ2O2pVME)

When the three of you get to the guildhouse, you can’t help but to pause and take it in--a beautiful, multi storey treehouse in the center of a clearting that starts on the ground and only gets taller. All of the primary functions of the guild are on the ground floor, of course, so that Pokémon like you can access them, but still. There’s a reason so many Pokémon like this place so much, yourself included.

You walk up to the entrance of the guildhouse, and a voice from the booth next to the guildhouse speaks up.

_“Halt!”_ it says, assertively. “Who goes there?”

“You know who we are, Boluthund,” Chry says.

Rider grumbles in the background, because he’s fully aware that a conversation like this will hold you up even more. But his complaints are quickly interrupted, courtesy of two very enthusiastic puppy Pokémon assaulting him, because he’s just _the best_ at playing chase.

“I know, I know,” Bolthund laughs and goes from a fighting stance to his normal, much friendlier one. “It’s just been awhile. How are you doing?”

“We’re alright. Ready to get back into action, and all,” you say.

Rider does nyoomies in the background as a Yamper and a Growlithe chase him, having been convinced to play games until something he’s more invested in happens.

“Good! I figured a hit like that wouldn’t discourage you. Glad to see I was right,” Bolthund says.

“Thank you,” Chry says.

“Anyway, I’d better quit holding you up.” Bolthund pulls down a lever on the wall of the booth, and the gate to the guild opens.

You thank him and walk inside, Rider following shortly after you once Bolthund reminds Yamper and Growlithe to let the exploration team member do their job.

\---

Just as Bolthund had said, Bibarel is right inside the guildhouse. She’s the guild’s second-in-command, and is talking to the guild’s secretary, Indeedee, at his desk.

The two pause when they notice your team, though. Indeedee waves.

“Heya!” Bibarel greets you, cheerful as ever. “Good to see you all up and at it again. Come to take on a mission?”

“You KNOW it!” Rider says, enthusiastically. He’s always gotten along well with Bibarel.

“Fantastic!” she says. “Anyway, I need to get goin’. I dunno if you heard, but the bridge got wrecked by a tree, and it’s my job to go help fix it. Seeya, later!”

“It was nice talking to you,” Chry says.

And with that, Bibarel leaves.

**[>Choosing a mission.](https://archiveofourown.org/works/22178413/chapters/58409071)**


	10. Choosing a mission (Rhydon).

[ [Laverre City] ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jt0B08tGNTE)

You walk past Indeedee’s desk and into the right side of the guildhouse proper. This is where the mission board for established exploration teams is located. Ampharos, one of the guild’s officers, has a window set into the wall next to the board, where she answers questions and gives out special assignments to particular rescue teams, among other things. 

“Good morning, Team Rumble!” Ampharos says brightly as you, Chry, and Rider walk up to her. “Glad to see you three up and at it again.”

“It’s always good to see you, too,” Chry says, as Rider makes a beedrill-line for the mission board.

“It is! And actually, I have a special mission just for the three of you,” Ampharos says.

Rider audibly groans, and you can almost feel the irritation in Chry’s stony facade.

‘Special mission’ is typically just a nice way for Ampharos to say ‘your last mission was a disaster, so you get to go on a couple of not-actually-missions until we’re sure it won’t happen again.’ Except when it isn’t, but your particular team is second from the lowest rank. You’re not quite good enough to get sent on _actual_ special missions yet.

“Oh, relax,” Ampharos chides. “I think you’ll like this one.”

She pulls out a piece of paper and sets it on the counter of her stall, and the three of you gather to read it.

“Wait. Thunder Wilds? Really?” Rider says, obviously surprised.

“An actual rescue mission?” Chry asks, in a similar tone.

“That it is,” Ampharos responds. “It’s important that missions go well, I’m sure you know, but part of that _is_ setting you up for success to begin with.”

The mission in question is to rescue a Seviper, with an unlisted reward. While missions with rewards like that can be a mixed bag, that’s the one location that your team would barely have any trouble getting through.

“It’s better than nothing,” you say.

“That’s true,” Chry agrees.

“We’ll take it,” Rider says, and picks the paper up off of the counter. 

“Good!” Ampharos says. “Make sure to report back to me when you finish the mission. And as always, stay safe.”

**[>To Thunder Wilds.](https://archiveofourown.org/works/22178413/chapters/58412374)**


	11. To Thunder Wilds.

[ [Thunderwave Cave] ](https://youtu.be/X8Zrk1ioobE)

After taking the time to deliberate on a course of action with Chry and Rider, you set out to Thunder Wilds. It isn’t terribly far, you’ve been on missions there before and know the way relatively well.

The entrance of the Thunder Wilds mystery dungeon is relatively simple, as mystery dungeons go--just a path bordered by big, magnetic rocks, with a well maintained Kangaskhan statue to one side.

Your team stops for one more minor conversation before heading into the dungeon.

_“Hell_ yeah! Let’s _do_ this!” Rider exclaims, looking back at you and Chry with a big grin.

Something tells you that you should say something.

You can…

**[>Suggest you take it slow. It has been awhile since you’ve been on a mission.](https://archiveofourown.org/works/22178413/chapters/58412743#workskin)**

**[>Just go for it. It has been awhile since you’ve been on a mission.](https://archiveofourown.org/works/22178413/chapters/58412686#workskin)**


	12. Just go for it.

“Yeah!” you say, pumping a fist into the air.

Then Rider races into the mystery dungeon without a second thought.

You and Chry exchange a look before racing in after him.

But when you do get to him, you find a bit more than you bargained for.

_...oh, geez._

[ [Monster House] ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XJtpSm3dViY)

Rider stands at the entrance of a room full of Pokémon, trying his absolute best to fight, but he’s not doing so well by himself. Because along with electric types, fighting and steel type Pokémon are pretty common. While he can deal with fighting types well enough on his own, he knows Play Rough, he typically needs assistance from you or Chry to deal with the others effectively.

Though being essentially swarmed doesn’t exactly help his case.

\---

The battle against the Monster House is long and grueling, but you eventually get through it.

It drains the majority of your supplies. Granted, you do have the items collected from what the dungeon Pokémon dropped while fleeing, but it isn’t _quite_ enough to keep you supplied for the rest of the mission.

You could risk it, you’ve done so before successfully, but it’ll reflect pretty poorly on your team if things go wrong and you have to be bailed out _again._ Especially since your last mission was more like the dictionary definition of ‘catastrophic failure’ than anything else.

After some deliberation, your team decides to fold and head back to the guild. Ampharos really threw you a bone by handing you this mission, and you’d rather prove to her that you know when to fold. This isn’t the first time a rescue team has had to back out of a dungeon because they got slammed by a Monster House, and it certainly wouldn’t be the last.

**[>Let’s try that again.](https://archiveofourown.org/works/22178413/chapters/58412374)**


	13. Take it slow.

“Let’s not get ahead of ourselves,” you say.

Rider gives you a _look._

“Don’t be a killjoy, dude,” he says.

“Actually, I agree with Donny,” Chry says. “We shouldn’t let being excited get the best of us. That’s what tripped us up last time.”

“Ugh, _FINE,”_ Rider complains and starts walking into the dungeon. He knows that you and Chry are right, even though he hates it.

You follow after him.

\---

Progressing through Thunder Wilds is pretty easy for your team, all things considered. While there are a couple types of Pokémon that might potentially give you trouble, you’re pretty solidly equipped with moves that cover your weaknesses.

Plus it does help that Chry seems prepared for next to everything this time around.

But eventually, you stumble across none other than a Kecleon shop.

Nice.

[ [Kecleon Shop] ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B0COHUKl5sg)

“Oh, it’s been awhile! How can I help you today?” the merchant greets you. Of course he recognizes you, this particular Kecleon prefers setting up shop in Thunder Wilds, and you’ve run into him a number of times before.

Chry examines the items for sale, while Rider investigates the floor around the shop for traps.

You can…

**[>Go against your better judgement and steal something.](https://archiveofourown.org/works/22178413/chapters/58414561)**

**[>Don’t steal something, because you might be dumb, but you’re not _that_ dumb.](https://archiveofourown.org/works/22178413/chapters/58412953)**


	14. Don't steal.

You decide to help Rider examine the floor for traps, though don’t find much of interest.

When Chry wraps up the conversation with Kecleon, you all say your goodbyes and continue through the dungeon. It’s only a few more floors until your objective.

[ [Amp Plains] ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5_VP_K52uEM)

Once you get down to the floor of your objective, you find a wrench thrown into your plans--a particularly strong Magnezone is roaming the floor, and it sees you.

Never in your life have you been so glad that your ability is Lightningrod.

But you know that the best your team can do is throw rocks at it and hope that it gives up, so instead you decide to just book it to find Seviper and get out of there as fast as physically possible.

When you do find Seviper, the Magnezone is practically breathing down your neck.

So rather than taking the time to stop and hold a conversation, you just pull out your badge and teleport the four of you out of there.

You end up back at the entrance of Thunder Wilds.

“That wasss quite the feat of professsionalisssm,” Seviper says, flatly. Apparently, he’s not entirely impressed with your efforts.

You can…

**[>Take it personally.](https://archiveofourown.org/works/22178413/chapters/58412998)**

**[>Don’t take it personally.](https://archiveofourown.org/works/22178413/chapters/58413241#workskin)**


	15. Take it personally.

“Sorry for just doing our job,” you huff, unamused. Rider mutters something under his breath in the background.

Seviper gives you a flat look.

“...let’s just get going back to the guild,” Chry says.

\---

Once you get back to the guild and confirm that the mission was a success, you talk to Seviper for the mission wrap-up.

“I sssuppossse I ssshould thank you for ressscuing me,” he says. “Dessspite your attitude from earlier, you did pull me out of a bad sssituation.”

With that, he gives you a reward--it’s relatively standard, just poké and a couple of seeds, but a reward nonetheless.

Chry is content with this, and while Rider complains that it’s not good enough, that’s what he says about _every_ mission you go on. But still, you can’t help but feel like you could’ve handled that better.

Either way, there’s nothing to be done now. You’re happy for the sake of having completed your objective, and that's what matters.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (This author’s note is copy/pasted at the end of each main ending, so if you’ve already read it you don’t have to bother doing so again.)  
> I’ll admit that this is a bit less than I originally intended for it to be, with not a ton of endings/branching paths and all that, but I’m pretty happy with the result. I actually used a flowchart to plan this out in advance, which really helped with the writing process and kept me from biting off more than I could chew.  
> So, yeah. TIL that writing a CYOA story is a good writing exercise if you wanna practice using outlines to make a story.  
> Oh, and I also kind of ended up really liking the characters in this and maybe sort of accidentally came up with the idea for a more traditional, longer PMD fic based off of the same world as this, so keep an eye out for when I finally get around to posting that (though it will probably be awhile since it’s still more-or-less in the planning stage).


	16. Don't take it personally.

“Yeah, we’re a little bit out of practice,” you say, and Rider mumbles something tratorous in the background. “Our last mission ended pretty miserably.”

“Ah, I sssee,” Seviper says and nods. “A valiant effort dessspite that.”

“Let’s get going,” Chry says.

\---

After you get back the guild, you check in with Ampharos before talking to Seviper for the mission wrap-up.

“Thanksss for ressscuing me,” he says. “I have a ssspecial reward for you.”

He hands you an ornately carved stone box that has a small, oddly shaped indent on the front. You take it and examine it curiously.

“What is  _ that?” _ Rider asks.

“To be honessst, I’m not ssure,” Seviper says. “I jussst found it in the forest one day. I took it to Sssableye, but he couldn’t tell me a thing. Perhapsss a ressscue team like you could get more ussse out of it.”

“It looks kind of like a treasure box,” Chry says.

“Treasssure box or not, if you find out what’sss in it, I’d like to know,” Seviper says.

You shrug. “Yeah, we can let you know if we figure it out.”

“Thanksss,” he says, then takes his leave.

But really, all you’re left with is questions about the weird thing Seviper gave you.

“Wait, he didn’t give us any money!” Rider says, before racing off to find Seviper.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (This author’s note is copy/pasted at the end of each main ending, so if you’ve already read it you don’t have to bother doing so again.)  
> I’ll admit that this is a bit less than I originally intended for it to be, with not a ton of endings/branching paths and all that, but I’m pretty happy with the result. I actually used a flowchart to plan this out in advance, which really helped with the writing process and kept me from biting off more than I could chew.  
> So, yeah. TIL that writing a CYOA story is a good writing exercise if you wanna practice using outlines to make a story.  
> Oh, and I also kind of ended up really liking the characters in this and maybe sort of accidentally came up with the idea for a more traditional, longer PMD fic based off of the same world as this, so keep an eye out for when I finally get around to posting that (though it will probably be awhile since it’s still more-or-less in the planning stage).


	17. Delcatty.

You wake up to the sound of dripping water. Or… feeling of dripping water?

You lay there for a minute or two, not really wanting to get up until you’ve internally woken up your senses a little bit.

But really, is the dripping water a _feeling,_ or a _sound?_

…

(It’s both.)

You bolt upright, rushing out from underneath your shelter seconds before the makeshift roof collapses and dumps _far_ too much water right onto the place you had been sleeping.

You shake off what small amount of leftover rainwater did get on you and begin to seriously consider taking the advice of one of your friends.

Said advice being to finally get a house so you can stop sleeping in the woods and being homeless, or something like that.

Beds are for the _weak,_ though.

“Catty!” You hear a pleasant voice calls out from behind you and turn around. Speak of the Grimmsnarl.

[ [Field Friend Area] ](https://youtu.be/npFxjYWsmIA)

“Hey, Ivy,” you say, watching the Lilligant run up to you, holding onto the strap of her bag like it might decide to fly off of her body for some unknown reason.

Well, run as fast as a Pokemon like Lilligant can run, which wasn’t actually all that fast.

“I’m glad you’re alright,” she says, after catching up to you. “The rain last night was an absolute downpour. I heard Pokemon talking about how a tree came down last night and it blocked the river, and, oh, it was just horrible, really--”

“It’s alright.” You cut her off before she could start rambling. “I’m not dumb enough to sleep next to the river on a night where it looks like rain.”  
“That’s… a good point. You’re right.” She laughs and brushes one of her petals with her ~~leaf~~ ~~arm~~ ~~flipper~~ ~~appendage thing~~ hand. “By the way, I was just heading to Hocus’s haunt, want to come with me? He said he found something really cool yesterday that we can use during our explorations!”

“Huh. Sure.” You nod in agreement without really thinking about it. Hocus has a habit of finding interesting things. Whether or not those things are _good_ is basically a coin flip, though.

\---

The two of you walk through the forest uneventfully until you reach an old, ruined building. This place used to scare you, but it doesn’t anymore. Really, it stopped being scary around the time you joined a rescue team.

That makes sense, you suppose.

Ivy walks ahead of you and opens the remains of an old, wooden door, walking into the musty interior of the building.

“Hocus, we’re here!” she calls, looking around.

You walk in after her, thinking that, while this place isn’t scary anymore, it’s definitely still dirty. _Yuck._

“Ivy!” Hocus calls, drifting lazily into the room from a sufficiently shadow corner. You don’t think you’ll ever get used to that. “And Catty, too! Perfect! I’ve found something the two of you might be interested in.”

_“What_ thing?” you ask.

“You’ll see, you’ll see. Patience, my friend.” He grins at you from under his hat with that permanent smile all Mismagius (from what you’ve been told) seem to have.

You get the feeling that this isn’t going to end well.

Hocus telepathically floats down a box from one of the rafters. For not having hands, he has a surprisingly large collection of stuff. Part of you wonders how you managed to become friends with a pack-raticate _ghost._

“Here we are!” Hocus interrupts your thoughts by calling you and Ivy over to a table, where he’s set the box down. 

You walk over.

“So… it’s a box?” Ivy asks. She doesn’t sound terribly impressed.  
“Yes,” he nods, “but it’s what’s _inside_ the box that matters. Now, which one of you feels like opening it?”

Ivy glances at you. She looks unsure, like she _wants_ to see what’s inside, but past experience tells her that opening it herself isn’t the best idea.

You can…

**[>Open the box yourself. Curiosity killed the Delcatty, but satisfaction brought it back.](https://archiveofourown.org/works/22178413/chapters/58413679#workskin)**

**[>Tell Ivy to open it. She may seem frail, but she’s pretty resilient, and Hocus wouldn’t put either of you up to something legitimately dangerous.](https://archiveofourown.org/works/22178413/chapters/58413745#workskin)**


	18. Open the box.

[ [Buried Relic] ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zTjLYeeIhuA)

“Let’s just get this out of the way,” you huff. You place your front paws on the table and nose the box open as carefully as you can. Really, for all of Hocus’s theatrics, it can’t be that--

“AWSDFVXBCGVNOPGNBFNVS,” you say, eloquently, as whatever is in the box spits gross, sticky sludge into your face.

You use your paws to wipe it out of your eyes as best as you can and then silently glare at Hocus. If looks could kill, he’d be a dual ghost type. Somehow.

“I hadn’t expected you to stick your face right in front of it,” Hocus says, clearly trying not to laugh.

Ivy takes a cloth out of her bag and frets over you with it. Not that it will do much aside from make the cloth needlessly sticky―this stuff only comes out with a Cleanse Orb or a thorough scrub in a body of water.

“How did you put a trap _in a box?”_ you ask Hocus.

The only reply you receive is _infuriatingly_ mysterious laughter.

\---

Not too terribly long later, you end up in a nearby pond, scrubbing your face off and internally cursing the fact that you had just managed to avoid getting wet not a half hour earlier.

Eh, at least you should dry off pretty fast, it being morning and all.

You climb out of the water and shake off, making absolutely sure that Hocus gets caught in the crossfire.

Not that he cares much, being a ghost type and all.

“Really, sorry about that,” he apologizes.

“Don’t worry about it,” you grumble. As irritating as Hocus’s antics can be, it’s ultimately harmless, and there’s a small part of you that appreciates it. A little bit. Slightly. Barely.

“So is that everything you wanted to talk about, Hocus?” Ivy asks.

“Actually, I was thinking about heading on over to the guild,” he says. “I’ve heard there’s been something of an influx of… _interesting_ missions, and I’d like to take a look for myself.”

Of course.

“Oh, that’s a good idea! I was planning on heading back into town anyway, so I can get some shopping done on the way,” Ivy says, and turns to you. “What do you think, Catty?”

“I’m fine with that,” you say. It’s not like you have any other plans. And it’s definitely not like you _like_ exploring mystery dungeons or anything.

**[>Let’s go shopping.](https://archiveofourown.org/works/22178413/chapters/58413805#workskin)**


	19. Let Ivy open it.

[ [Awakening] ](https://youtu.be/TBI_I1kXCiQ)

“Not it,” you say, glaring at the box as if it had just called you some unspeakable insult. There’s no way in the world you’re touching that thing with a ten-foot-pole.

Ivy picks up a stick to open the box with and Hocus laughs and says something about her being right to not completely trust the contents of the box.

You wish you’d thought of that first.

Anyway.

Ivy uses the stick to open the box, and it spits out a blob of that gross goo that sometimes shows up in mystery dungeons.

_Disgusting._

Luckily, it doesn’t get anywhere but on the table.

“Did you put a dungeon trap in a box?” Ivy asks, clearly perplexed at how a relatively large mechanism could be made to fit into a portable container.

“A magician never reveals his secrets,” Hocus says, proudly.

“Yeah, whatever,” you say. “Is that everything you wanted?”

“Not exactly. I’ve heard rumors that Ampharos has been handing out… _interesting_ missions to Silver Rank teams and upwards. I’d like to go check it out.”

You don’t know what you were expecting.

“That sounds like fun!” Ivy says. “I need to run back through town, so we can go that way to the guild.”

“I guess I don’t have a choice,” you say. Not that you actually have anything better to do with your time.

“Let’s get going, then,” Hocus says.

The three of you leave the shack and start heading towards the town.

**[>Let’s go shopping.](https://archiveofourown.org/works/22178413/chapters/58413805#workskin)**


	20. Let's go shopping.

You, Hocus, and Ivy make your way into town. It isn’t a terribly long walk, especially given that it’s downhill, but by the time you get into town, the sun is noticeably higher in the sky.

[ [Treasure Town] ](https://youtu.be/AfmSVZrojjM)

You can see that as always, the town’s marketplace is bustling with life. From Kecleon Shop to Hitmon-dojo to Sableye’s Appraisal and more, you feel like there couldn’t be a better place to live than this.

“I’m going to run to Alcremie’s Bakery,” Ivy says when you finally reach the marketplace proper. “Let’s meet by the path to the guild when we’re done, alright?”

“Sounds like a plan to me,” you say, and Hocus agrees as well. After what happened earlier, you feel like buying something just might be a good idea.

You maneuver through the crowd easily, carefully examining the multicolored stalls of the plaza, the various wares almost gleaming in the mid-morning light.

But as much as you like shiny things, that isn’t exactly what you’re looking for, and you continue until your eye lands on a particular vendor.

_Ah. There we are._

You walk up to a table in front of a red, black-striped tent, a number of accessories laid out on the pristine tablecloth. Only true craftsmen put so much care into their work.

If you were forced to name a favorite stall, this would probably be the one you’d choose.

“Good morning, Delcatty,” Ariados’ unmistakable voice says from behind the booth as he climbs up onto a stool to get a better look at you.

“What can I do for you today?” he asks.

“Well, I was thinki--” you say, before being unceremoniously cut off.

“Good morning, friend!” a blusterous voice that could only belong to Whimsicott speaks up as he hops up onto the seat next to her partner. “I see you’re looking well.”

“As well as I can be,” you deadpan. “I went to Mismagius’ place earlier. He somehow managed to put a sticky trap in a box.”

“That sounds unpleasant,” Ariados says, and Whimsicott agrees that sticky traps are just _the worst_ and whoever invented them is mean and bad and should feel bad.

“It was, and it’s actually why I’m here. We’re going to be going into a mystery dungeon today and I’d like to see about something that could help me avoid traps.”

“Hmm…” Ariados pauses, thinking.

“I recommend the float stone band. It’ll reduce your weight and make you feel like you’re _floatiiiing,”_ Whimsicott says, as he jumps into the air and begins to drift away in the breeze, apparently entirely unconcerned.

But Ariados is having none of that. He grabs his business partner by the horn, affixes one end of a web to said horn, and sticks the other end of it to the ground.

_“I’m a balloon noooow,”_ Whimsicott giggles.

Ariados turns back to you, matter-of-factly.  
“I think I’ve got a few ideas.”

“What are they?” you ask.

“Well…” Ariados reaches into a wooden box behind the counter, pulls out two scarves, and places them on the table in front of you.

“This is a Trap Scarf,” he says, pointing at a gray and white, vertically striped bandana. “If you step on a trap while wearing this, it will not activate.”

He points to the other, a ribbon with gold embroidery. “This is a Lucky Ribbon. If you wear it, fortune will favor you. Not as effective as a trap scarf, but maybe you could use a little luck on your side.”

“How much are you asking?”

“Normally rare items like this typically sell for upwards of 5,000poké--”

You internally balk at the price. That much for a _scarf?_ A decent TM can be bought for less.

“--however, as you’re a friend, I’ll give you a deal. 2,000 even, as long as you tell me how well it works.”

That is a… _bette_ r price, at least. Ariados knows how much you’re typically willing and able to spend on things, and he happens to be right on the, well, _money,_ when it comes to how much poké you’ll hand over out of sheer curiosity.

Not that that’s a bad thing--pretty much everything that Ariados and Whimsicott sell is legitimately quality. Pokémon from all over come to buy their wares. So the question now is, which one do you buy?

You can…

**[>Buy the Trap Scarf. After what happened earlier, you’d rather be safe than sorry.](https://archiveofourown.org/works/22178413/chapters/58413865#workskin)**

**[>Buy the Lucky Ribbon. Maybe having fortune on your side will help you deal with whatever comes your way.](https://archiveofourown.org/works/22178413/chapters/58413925#workskin)**


	21. Buy the Trap Scarf.

“I’ll take the Trap Scarf,” you say. Better safe than sorry, in all honesty.

Ariados nods and hands you the scarf in exchange for the 2,000p. Whimsicott claps in celebration of your successful transaction. He does that.

“It’s a pleasure doing business with you, as always,” Ariados says.

“You too,” you say, before walking off to meet back up with Hocus and Ivy. 

**[>Go to the guild.](https://archiveofourown.org/works/22178413/chapters/58414006#workskin)**


	22. Buy the Lucky Ribbon.

“I’ll take the Lucky Ribbon,” you say. You could use a little bit of fortune in your life right about now.

Ariados nods and hands you the scarf in exchange for the 2,000p.

_“Yaaaaay,”_ Whimsicott says, delighted by the instance of capitalism he just bore witness to.

“Glad to do business with you. Have a nice day,” Ariados says.

“You as well,” you say, and walk off to meet back up with your friends.

**[>Go to the guild.](https://archiveofourown.org/works/22178413/chapters/58414006#workskin)**


	23. At the guild.

You head to the start of the path to the guild, where Ivy and Hocus are already waiting for you to join them.

“Ooo, you got a new scarf!” Ivy says, once you get close enough to comfortably talk to.

“Yeah. Ariados gave me a discount and everything,” you say. “What’d you get from Alcremie?”

“Just some chocolate-dipped Oran berries, along with a few other things. She really knows how to make out of this world candy.”

“And it’s useful, too,” you agree. You vaguely recall one of her particularly popular sweets being able to heal all types of status conditions.

“What about you, Hocus?” Ivy asked.

“I just visited with Sableye for a little while. He showed me some of the more difficult to evaluate things he’s been brought recently. Unfortunately it wasn’t that interesting.”

“Yeah, _real_ unfortunate,” you say, and Hocus laughs.

“Now, let’s get going,” he says, and the three of you start heading into the forest.

[ [Stow-on-Side] ](https://youtu.be/c8fU5U8Zeck)

Eventually, the three of you come to the clearing where the guild is--a rather open space with a handful of trees in the center, supporting a structure that’s more like a combination of a treehouse and a normal building.

It’s tall, reaching up high in a way that makes you feel smaller than normal. A wood-carved figure of the guild leader in mid-flight sits on the roof of the highest habitable room.

You have good memories of this place. After all, you, Ivy, and Hocus lived here, once upon a time. In a way, it’s the closest thing to a home you have.

Beds are still for the weak, though.

You head up to the entrance of the guildhouse, and your team checks with Bolthund in the booth next to it to verify that you are, in fact, you.

Bolthund pulls down a lever on the wall inside his booth, and the entrance opens.

\---

You walk into the guild, heading right to the mission board. On your way, you pass by another rescue team--one of the Bronze Ranks, if you remember correctly. They’re standing in something of a huddle, debating the best way to go about their mission.

Actually, you’re _pretty sure_ that they’re the exploration team that got all their stuff ruined at the Lava Path.

Hah, _losers._

Anyway.

When you get close to the mission board, you see Ampharos from her booth in the wall next to it. She’s one of the guild’s officers, and handles handing out missions and generally making sure that teams can actually take on the missions they choose.

Hocus floats up to her, and you and Ivy follow suit.

“Good morning, Team Gem!” Ampharos says. “It’s always good to see you three. What can I do for you?”

“Well,” Hocus starts, “I’ve heard that there’s been something of an influx of unusual missions recently.”

It’s more of a question than a statement, and Ampharos seems to understand.

“There has been, actually, and I think that I’ve got just the one to interest you,” she says, and rifles through a folder.

Ampharos places a sheet of paper on the counter in front of her so that your team can read it.

“Echoing… Forest?” you ask. _That_ was new.

“There isn’t an objective listed?” Ivy says, perplexed.

“You want us to explore a new mystery dungeon?” Hocus asks, grinning.

“That I do,” Ampharos says. “Based on what I’ve heard so far, it should be fit for you. Just remember, since this is uncharted territory, you’ll need to be careful. Make sure you have everything you might need for if something goes wrong.”

This is _also_ new. Your team is Gold Rank, yes, but it's the first time that you’ve been asked to explore a new mystery dungeon. 

“Don’t mystery dungeons change every time you enter them, though?” Ivy asks.

“Yes, but preliminary explorations are important so that we can gauge how difficult missions into them might be,” Ampharos explains.

“Oh, yes, I remember now,” Ivy says. She’s always moving at her own tempo.

...ehehe. _Own Tempo._

“So where is this mystery dungeon?” Hocus asks. “It’s not exactly on any map.”

“Oh, right. Let me see your map and I’ll mark the location for you,” Ampharos says.

Ivy pulls out the map and hands it over, and Ampharos makes a note of the location with a bright marker before handing the map back.

“There we are! You should be all set,” she says. “Remember to report your findings to me when you’re done. And don’t worry about it if you can’t make it all the way through the dungeon--what’s more important is, like always, that you stay safe.”

**[>Onto Echoing Forest.](https://archiveofourown.org/works/22178413/chapters/58414273#workskin)**


	24. Onto Echoing Forest.

You, Hocus, and Ivy set out to the new mystery dungeon.

It’s somewhat far away, but it’s peanuts compared to the farthest distance your team has travelled for a mission.

The more you walk and talk, the more you can’t help but speculate about what the mystery dungeon will be like. As much as you’re loath to admit it, you’re excited, and it’s obvious that your friends are, too.

And eventually... you find it. The unmistakable entrance of a mystery dungeon.

[ [Ballonlea] ](https://youtu.be/po-Bvtex5nM)

From a small clearing in the woods, a path framed by ancient trees and luminescent moss leads to a place even deeper in the forest.

The air smells like magic, and you can’t help but smile, because this…

This is something _special._   
“Are we ready, team?” Hocus asks, even though it’s obvious he’d rather not waste time.

“Yeah, just about,” you say, walking up to a crumbling Kangaskhan statue that sits next to the dungeon entrance, obviously having been untouched for legends know how long. You doubt that it even still works. A quick couple of taps with a paw confirms that it doesn’t.

“We’ll have to let Ampharos know that the Kangaskhan statue here needs repaired or replaced,” you say, and Ivy takes a notepad out of her bag to write that down.

“Ever the dutiful explorer, aren’t you?” Hocus teases.

Instead of gracing his provocation with a reply, you roll your eyes and turn towards the dungeon entrance.

\---

Entering the mystery dungeon is easy enough, though that could be said for nearly every one. No, the true question is, what kind of pokemon are found here, and how strong are they?

Well, you’d come to find that the inhabitants of this place were mostly what you’d expected walking--grass, fairy, and bug types. A few steel-type pokemon appeared here and there, but it isn’t anything your team can’t handle.

As for strength, you know that that can be relatively subjective. As far as your team is concerned, the wild Pokémon here aren’t a threat but are also far from anything you’d call a cakewalk.

And in almost no time at all, you, Hocus, and Ivy find yourselves in what seems to be the midway point of the dungeon, which is home to a Kangaskhan statue just as ruined as the other.

You test it for the sake of consistency, to the same result.

Ivy takes out her notepad, and Hocus rattles off every discovery you’ve made and item you’ve found so that she can write it down.

You take the opportunity to lay down for a bit.

“So,” Hocus says, once he and Ivy are done with their record taking, “this is an interesting mystery dungeon, and I really do mean that. It feels like the Fairy King’s Forest, but that’s far away from here.”

“I agree,” Ivy says. “It’s kind of odd that here is so much like… well, there.”

“I mean, isn’t the Fairy King supposed to be the one who taught the original guilds how to handle mystery dungeons? It makes sense that more than one of them would feel like his forest,” you say.

“That is true,” Hocus says, “but the Fairy King’s forest has been around for as long as the legend. The fact that this one opened up now is thought-provoking at the very least.”  
“Yeah, yeah, that _is_ a good point,” you say. “But we’re not really going to get anywhere just sitting around talking.”

You stand up and walk over to the path that leads to the rest of the dungeon.

“Let’s keep going.”

[ [Glimwood Tangle] ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xfc1YPH7ZW4)

The three of you enter the second half of the dungeon, the trees now so close together the sun can only shine down in individual beams.

It’s pretty, but the contrasting light levels make it hard to see.

Something flickers through the trees.

The scarf is snatched from your neck, and the culprit puts a fair amount of distance between you before you can react.

“Hey! Give that back!” you shout and start to run after the thief.

You can…

**[>Continue to chase it. That’s YOUR scarf, dang it, and you’re going to get it back.](https://archiveofourown.org/works/22178413/chapters/58414348#workskin)**

**[>Get Hocus to chase it. He can float faster than you can run.](https://archiveofourown.org/works/22178413/chapters/58414411#workskin)**


	25. Chase it.

You continue to chase after the Pokémon who took your scarf, weaving in and out of trees.

But before you can reach them, one of your paws catches on a root and you take a rather nasty tumble into the foliage, ending up on your back.  
“Catty!” Ivy rushes over to you to check on whether or not you’re okay. “You’re bleeding!”

_Dammit._

You roll over onto your front, wincing at the injury on your shoulder.

Ivy is already tending to your wound before you can get a word out edgewise.

You’re internally kicking yourself, as the responsible part of you knows that that was reckless, and an injury like this means you’ll be forced to bail on the mission.

Plus you basically wasted 2,000p for nothing. That stings more than the antiseptic Ivy is currently applying to your injury.

You can…

**[>Go back. That was a misadventure. ](https://archiveofourown.org/works/22178413/chapters/58414273)**


	26. Get Hocus to chase it.

“Help me catch them, Hocus!” you say, and he easily glides ahead of you, sending a Thunder Wave crashing down on the would-be thief.

Perfect.

You slow down and walk up to the Pokémon that stole your scarf--a Liepard--and take it back.

“Don’t steal from exploration teams, genius,” you say, and keep walking.

Ivy is at least kind enough to give the Liepard some kind of candy that cures paralysis before you continue exploring. Part of you just wants to just leave them there out of spite, but you know that it’s generally bad form to leave mystery dungeon Pokémon with negative status conditions if you can help it.

\---

After a few more floors, your team eventually stumbles upon something rather… out of place.

This place is supposed to be unexplored, so why is there a _Kecleon Shop?_

“Hey, what are you doing here?” you ask, walking up to the Kecleon, who starts. “This dungeon hasn’t been properly cleared and graded yet.”

The Kecleon pauses for a moment before running up to you.

“Are you a rescue team!?” she asks, rather frantically.

“Yes,” you say.

“Oh, thank goodness! I wandered into this dungeon a couple days ago and I’ve been very lost. Do you think that you could help me out of here? And maybe tell me what direction to go in once I am out?”

_One question at a time, lady._

You can…

**[>Help the Kecleon.](https://archiveofourown.org/works/22178413/chapters/58414453)**

**[>Follow your base instincts and steal from the Kecleon.](https://archiveofourown.org/works/22178413/chapters/58414561)**


	27. Help the Kecleon.

“Yeah, of course we can help,” you say.

“Just make sure to get your things together first,” Ivy speaks up from behind you.

“Of course, of course!” the Kecleon runs back to her things, gathering them together and stuffing them into a fittingly-sized backpack.

Once she’s done, she comes back up to you and holds out a yellow orb with pink spots and a star in the center.

“Here, please! Take this! It’s really all I can do to thank you. It’s an--”

Hocus takes the orb from her before she can finish and stores it away.

“An All Protect Orb, yes?” he half-asks, half-states.

“Yes, it is! Though most rescue teams won’t recognize something like that right away.”

“I collect and research rare items of all kinds,” Hocus explains, “but this is the first time I’ve seen an All Protect Orb in person.”

The Kecleon practically gets stars in her eyes.

“I might have to pick your brain about that, then!” she says, but before the conversation can end up on much more of a tangent, you interrupt.

“How about you wait for us at the dungeon entrance? It shouldn’t take us much longer to get through the rest of this, and we can walk you back to Signal Town.”

“Signal Town!” Kecleon exclaims. “That’s where I was trying to go!”

“We’re… quite far from there,” Ivy says.

“...oh, I know. I’m just horrible with directions.”

“Alright, let’s get you outta here,” you say, pulling out your badge. “Ready to get going?”

“Yes, I am,” Kecleon says.

“And remember to wait at the entrance of the dungeon for us.”

“Of course!”

You flash your badge, and Kecleon is enveloped in a mysterious light that whisks her away to the entrance of the dungeon. Normally you’d follow suit and leave, but there’s more to be done here.

\---

The rest of the exploration is rather uneventful, and you eventually reach a floor that seems to entirely lack stairs.

Luckily, there doesn’t seem to be any dungeon Pokémon wandering around, either.

Ivy stops once again to make note of everything you’ve encountered between the midway point and here.

“...so is this seriously _it?”_ you ask, begrudgingly.

Your first mission to a brand-new mystery dungeon and all you find is a lost lizard.

“Apparently so,” Hocus says. “There doesn’t seem to be stairs or a path to anywhere.”

You groan in annoyance and unenthusiastically butt your head against a tree.  
“I’m gonna go look around a little bit more,” you say, before walking off in some arbitrary direction.

Surely there must be _something_ here, right? The mysterious mystery dungeon’s gotta have some kind of cool secret, _right???_

Well…

[ [Glittering Cave] ](https://youtu.be/21Bee5epFts)

You walk around the floor in impatient circles, trying to find some kind of secret opening or lever or button or _literally anything_ , but the mystery dungeon doesn’t seem intent on giving up whatever secrets it may or may not actually be hiding.

What makes it worse is that, as a more-or-less seasoned adventurer, you _know_ that mystery dungeons are unlikely to give up their secrets at first pass. Even the most experienced teams can miss out on supposedly obvious things.

In a way, that’s really the true cause of your frustration.

Until, at least, you hear a distinctive _click_ from underneath one of your paws.

And you stop, because you know that sound. Every single Pokémon who’s ever been in a mystery dungeon and been even slightly careless with where they’re walking knows the _goddamned sound._

_Great. A trap._

Earlier, you…

**[>Bought the Trap Scarf.](https://archiveofourown.org/works/22178413/chapters/58414495#workskin)**

**[>Bought the Lucky Ribbon.](https://archiveofourown.org/works/22178413/chapters/58414537#workskin)**


	28. Bought the Trap Scarf.

You quietly pray that the scarf Ariados sold you works as intended while removing your paw.

Thankfully, it harmlessly reveals itself, and you realize you narrowly avoided activating a grimy trap.

You sigh and return back to your friends.

“Alright. I don’t think we’re finding anything else of value here,” you say.

“Are you sure?” Ivy asks.

“Yeah, pretty sure,” you say. You’re tired, you’re ready to go home, and this has been an exercise in stupidity.

“In that case, we ought to head out,” Hocus says. He probably wants to talk to the Kecleon you rescued and start researching the orb she gave your team.

“Everybody all set? You’re not going to leave anything behind?” Ivy asks, and after receiving confirmation, she pulls out her badge and flashes it.

The strange light envelops the three of you, pulling you back to the entrance of the dungeon.

And lo and behold, the Kecleon is there, having surpassed your expectations.

Said expectations being that she was somehow going to get lost.

\---

The now four of you begin the journey back to the guild, the rays of the evening accompanying you. You’ll probably have to camp for the night, but that’s fine. You normally sleep in the woods anyway.

But still, as Hocus and the Kecleon prattle on about rare items and Ivy monologues about the most recent gossip she’s heard, you can’t shake the feeling that you  _ missed _ something. And not just some random thing, something  _ important. _

_ Eh, there’s nothing to be done, _ you suppose. All you’ll have to do is drag Hocus and Ivy back to the dungeon at a later date when you’ve got time and poke around the lowest level a bit more thoroughly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (This author’s note is copy/pasted at the end of each main ending, so if you’ve already read it you don’t have to bother doing so again.)  
> I’ll admit that this is a bit less than I originally intended for it to be, with not a ton of endings/branching paths and all that, but I’m pretty happy with the result. I actually used a flowchart to plan this out in advance, which really helped with the writing process and kept me from biting off more than I could chew.  
> So, yeah. TIL that writing a CYOA story is a good writing exercise if you wanna practice using outlines to make a story.  
> Oh, and I also kind of ended up really liking the characters in this and maybe sort of accidentally came up with the idea for a more traditional, longer PMD fic based off of the same world as this, so keep an eye out for when I finally get around to posting that (though it will probably be awhile since it’s still more-or-less in the planning stage).


	29. Bought the Lucky Ribbon.

You quietly curse the fact that you didn’t buy the Trap Scarf when you had the chance and remove your paw from the trap.

The trap hits you square in the chin with a glob of  _ ick _ , causing you to stumble around slightly and curse up a storm.

“Oh, cOME ON!  _ SERIOUSLY!?” _ you shout, along with a few other choice things.

Obviously, the rest of your team hears you and rushes over.

Ivy pulls out a cleanse orb and holds it up, mercifully washing away the--well, the gross, disgusting, intolerable  _ whatever it is _ that grimy traps spit out and that whoever invented them is mean and bad and should feel bad. 

Still somewhat disoriented, you step into the near-solid foliage of the dungeon’s wall and almost immediately tumble head-over-paws down a slope.

It’s just one thing after another, wasn’t this supposed to be a  _ Lucky Ribbon--? _

[ [Slumbering Weald - Harp Cover] ](https://youtu.be/KjXoldfcvn4)

_ Oh. _

You stand up as Ivy and Hocus slide down the incline behind you, but you’re too focused on the scene before you to care.

A small pond sits in front of you, almost perfectly circular if it weren’t for a miniature peninsula reaching out to its center.

Light streams through the dense tree cover, casting soft beams of light into the area, turning the water amber and highlighting the centerpiece of it all--some kind of shrine.

And the  _ shrine. _ It isn’t so much a proper shrine as it is a pair of statues. Two Pokémon that looked quite unlike anything you’d ever seen before. One with a mane laying down on the ground, looking up at the other, a similar Pokémon with longer, braided fur, as it stands and bows its head down in a gesture of care.

Scars absolutely litter the both of their bodies, each having a chunk taken out of an ear. An old, rusted sword stands upright in a pedestal behind them, a shield in similar condition precariously hanging off of it.

And they look so  _ real _ , the light casting the shadows of the statues in a sharp relief. Their injuries tell the story of a battle that you’re absolutely  _ certain _ you’ve heard before.

As you stand there in front of the shrine, you can’t help but feel like you’re witnessing the beginning of something, and you can tell that Hocus and Ivy feel it, too.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (This author’s note is copy/pasted at the end of each main ending, so if you’ve already read it you don’t have to bother doing so again.)  
> I’ll admit that this is a bit less than I originally intended for it to be, with not a ton of endings/branching paths and all that, but I’m pretty happy with the result. I actually used a flowchart to plan this out in advance, which really helped with the writing process and kept me from biting off more than I could chew.  
> So, yeah. TIL that writing a CYOA story is a good writing exercise if you wanna practice using outlines to make a story.  
> Oh, and I also kind of ended up really liking the characters in this and maybe sort of accidentally came up with the idea for a more traditional, longer PMD fic based off of the same world as this, so keep an eye out for when I finally get around to posting that (though it will probably be awhile since it’s still more-or-less in the planning stage).


	30. Steal from Kecleon.

[ [Stop! Thief!] ](https://youtu.be/UNJQzFlPEp4)

For some reason, something possesses you to nab one of the items laid out in front of Kecleon and step off of the carpet that designates the border of his shop.

You barely have time to hear the Kecleon shout “Stop! Thief!” before a wave of angry lizards assault you.

Your friends stand off to the side in a mix of shock and confusion as your vision goes dark and your consciousness fades away into the great beyond.

…when you woke up this morning, you definitely weren’t expecting it all to end like this.

Your last thought is of how embarrassing your tombstone’s epitaph is going to be.

That was… certainly something. Luckily, it doesn’t have to be over yet. Did you… 

**[>Come here as Rhydon?](https://archiveofourown.org/works/22178413/chapters/58412743)**

**[>Come here as Delcatty?](https://archiveofourown.org/works/22178413/chapters/58414411)**


End file.
